Unforeseen Futures
by AngelaMay234
Summary: He knew there was something familiar about her; he just couldn't quite put his finger on it. Still, as he wove his hands through her soft hair he couldn't help but notice how lovely she was. Almost more beautiful than the woman he had met not so long ago. Shoutout to The Guest Calypso for helping me with the title!
1. Bittersweet

_I've been bored lately, so I decided to post a rewrite of my story, **Fall of Demons. **My writing has improved a lot since then and I plan to make this version more romantic and detailed. I'm also gonna be changing a few things. Not sure how far I'll get, but I'm going to try to redo at least the first two or three chapters. This one is merely a sweetened prologue._

* * *

She groaned quietly in her sleep, watching the colors fade into darkness. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, revealing the dark soil that served as her home's ceiling. She gasped, bolting upright. Had all of that, meeting the rats, unraveling her husband's secret, been a dream? She rubbed her hands together, looking down to see fresh, white bandages wrapping her palms.

"You're awake."

She turned at the soft voice, seeing Ages with a small bundle resting in his lap. She soon realized it was Timothy, his chest moving in uneasy sleep.

"What happened?" she whispered. "How did I get here?"

"You house was successfully moved," the old mouse muttered. "Though not according to plan."

She turned, seeing a faint red glimmer. It was the Stone, concealed by a fold of the blanket thrown across the foot of her bed.

"Yes," she rubbed her hands again. "I-I remember now…"

She turned back to Ages, who was tucking Timothy back into his own bed. She was quick to notice the old mouse no longer had a cast, his crutch leaning against the cork he'd been sitting on.

"Are you still in pain?" she asked. He shook his head.

"No," he moved back to his seat. "The Stone did more than move your home and revive your children."

"What do you mean?"

He gazed at her, a slight smile forming on his lips.

"It healed my broken leg," he explained. "And affected everyone near you when you unleashed its power."

"What about the rats?" a sliver of fear sunk into her heart.

"They're preparing to leave," Ages said. "And should be gone within the hour."

"Oh."

She lowered her head, letting her hands fall to her lap.

"However," Ages' lips quirked further. "Justin wishes to see you. He's waiting outside."

"H-He wants to see me?" the young mother's heart raced in her chest. "A-After all the trouble I've caused?"

She looked to the Stone, still faintly shimmering. After seeing the power it contained, after seeing what lines would be crossed to get it, she knew she could never wield its power. She reached out, taking the gem in her hand, pulling a random cape from the folded pile beside her bed. She tied it tightly around her neck, tucking the blood-red gem deep into its folds.

"Are you sure he wants to see me?" she asked. "Where is he?"

"He assured me he wouldn't leave without seeing you again," Ages told her. "And if he told me the truth, then he should be just outside the rosebush."

"Thank you," she slipped from her bed. Her other children were cuddled together in a corner of the living room; she tiptoed past to avoid waking them. Auntie Shrew was nowhere to be found. A sliver of moonlight leaked in through the entrance tunnel, providing her just enough to see by as she slipped into the outside world. She looked around, seeing a thick blanket of grass had sprung across her house, covered in buds she somehow knew would bloom the next morning. She turned to the east, seeing a tall, slim figure moving slowly towards her. The scent in the air confirmed who it was; she sped forward with a sound of joy. He laughed, taking her off her feet as he swept her into a warm embrace.

"Oh, Justin," a single tear slipped down her cheek. "I'm so glad to see you."

He smiled, wiping the tear away.

"I'm happy to see you, too, Mrs. Brisby."

He set her back on her feet, kneeling before her. She noticed how much he had changed.

"Ages told me the magic affected you," she murmured. A shock of hair rested on his brow, his dark eyes glowing in a way they never had before. He'd changed into a dark blue vest and white shirt, a dark cloak shielding him from the cold. Her left hand drifted up from his chest, running across his shoulder, then down his arm to his wrist. She felt there was something different about him, though couldn't place exactly what it was.

"It's affected you as well," he said quietly. His fingers slipped through the fur on her cheek. Like him, her hair was longer, the tips of her bangs brushing against her lashes. Her sparkling blue eyes were a shade or two darker. The blush on her cheeks matched the pale pink cape draped around her slim body. He felt his heart race in his chest, fighting the urge to take her in his arms again. "You're so beautiful…"

Her blush darkened; she reached in her cape and pulled out the Stone.

"You deserve this more than I do," she whispered. He gazed at her in shock.

"I couldn't," he said. "Jonathan left it for you."

She put the chain around his neck, letting her hands fall back to his chest.

"I know," she whispered. "But it frightens me. Please, take it."

He looked at her, then gave a low sigh.

"As you wish."

"Thank you."

She gazed at him, becoming lost in his dark stare. Before she realized it, she'd pressed her lips softly to his.

"Oh, my," she pulled away. "I don't know where that came from. I'm sorry."

She turned to leave, feeling his hand wrap firmly around hers.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of," he brought her closer, cupping her face in his hands. He gave a brief smile, then kissed her with barely concealed passion. She gasped, feeling his embrace tighten around her. It felt like hours had passed before he pulled away, his breath soothing to her flaming face.

"I'll write you," he whispered. "Once the colony is finished. I want you and your family near me as soon as possible."

"I already await your invitation," she smiled. "But, before you go, will you do one last thing for me?"

He nodded. "Anything."

She moved closer, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I want you to call me Elizabeth."

He breathed in her sweet scent, a mix of rose and iris with a hint of lavender.

"Elizabeth."


	2. Past and Present

Justin stared at the horizon, his mind drifting back to months past. After nearly two years, the colony was finally nearing completion. The Stone gleamed proudly around his neck; he'd worn it every day since Elizabeth had given it to him. Elizabeth, Jonathan's beautiful widow; oh, God, how he missed her!

Justin had dreamt of her almost every night, of running his hands through her soft hair, of making sweet, gentle love to her. Most of all, he dreamt of having her family with him in the valley, of having his own children with her. His heart raced at the prospect, but then the harsh hands of reality yanked him back to earth. Almost two years had passed, meaning Elizabeth Brisby had grown old, if she was even still alive. A harsh pain swept through his body every time he thought of it.

_She has to be alive, _he thought. He didn't think he could live much longer without her. Sure, he could've moved on, settled down with one of the many young women in the colony, but he couldn't let go of the hope he'd see her again. He smiled, recalling the day he'd told several of his admirers he was already taken. Their attention hadn't dwindled since then. If anything, it had gotten worse, as though they were trying to persuade him to choose one of them.

They'd always been mesmerized when they gazed in his dark eyes, those that had the courage to do so, falling into giggles and lovelorn sighs when he flashed his now infamous smile. He remembered how fond he had been of teasing them, of flirting with them until their cheeks turned red. He'd done it less and less in recent months, having felt a tinge of guilt when his thoughts drifted to Elizabeth. He couldn't let go of his feelings for her. He wouldn't, not until he had confirmation she was dead, or that she no longer felt the same. He just hoped to God he'd be able to see her again.

* * *

She moaned, opening her eyes to an unfamiliar world. Oak trees towered above her head, a small brook babbling nonchalantly next to her. The lone creature pulled her tattered robe tightly around her, barely able to see the sliver of sun as it set behind distant peaks. Where was she, and how long had she been there?

_I'm safe now. _She didn't know how she knew; she just did. She got to her feet, wincing slightly at the pain in her ankle. _They'll never find me here._

A kind of warmth settled on her shoulders, like a cloak coming to shield her from the cold. It felt like someone was standing just behind her, offering comfort. She'd always looked when the feeling came, but had never seen anyone. Still, the warmth made her feel safe.

"I know you're out there," she whispered. She started walking, hoping to find somewhere she could spend the night. Soon, she came upon an old tree stump, housing what appeared to be an abandoned burrow. Whoever had lived there, they hadn't thought much of leaving their things behind. Seeds, nuts and dried fruits lay piled in one corner, a pile of straw with blankets in another. Fresh firewood lay against an empty hearth, making her realize the home might not be abandoned after all. Even if it wasn't, she didn't plan to stay more than a couple nights, just enough time to repair her clothes and rest from her journey. Her eyes wandered back to the food.

_I'll just take a little something…_

That little something turned out to be far more than she'd planned. She resolved to look for more the next morning, after repairing the damage to her dress.

"Thank you," she drifted off to sleep. "Whoever you are."


	3. Discoveries

She awoke late the next morning, rubbing her eyes and pulling bits of straw from her hair. It was the first night in weeks a dream hadn't plagued her, flashes of things she wasn't even sure existed.

"Oh, well," she picked up her tattered dress, tugging it over her head. "They're just dreams."

The sun shone in a crystal blue sky, wispy clouds a sign of good weather. The air smelled clean, birds singing in the trees.

_It's beautiful._

She knelt by the stream, lowering the empty jug into the water. There hadn't been much left when she'd looked the night before.

_I think I'll gather some fruit, too._

She stood, struggling to support the jug as she walked back to the stump. She set it by the door, turning her gaze to the food pile. She hadn't eaten as much as she'd thought she had. Still, she'd feel better if she replaced at least part of her meal.

_There must be a basket around here somewhere..._

Just as she stared looking for one, someone threw the door open. She froze, staring at a pair of young males.

"Who are you?"

He was just her height, with light fur and cloud-grey eyes. His long blonde hair was pulled back with a leather strip. He looked dangerous, his hand drifting openly to the sword strapped to his waist.

"Oh, please," she fell to her knees, clasping her fingers together. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to trespass, I-"

"What's going on in here?"

Another male, taller and broader than the first, stepped in the doorway. His fur was pure white, his black hair falling to his shoulders. His dark green eyes gazed at her quizzically.

"Who're you?"

His hands stayed in his pockets, far from the blade slung across his back.

"M-My name is Ella," she said quickly. "I-I was lost and thought this had been abandoned. I-I didn't mean to trespass, I just had nowhere else to go..."

Tears welled in her eyes and she didn't try to stop them. She buried her face in her hands, trembling with fear. The two men stared at her, as though considering what to do with her. Finally, the blonde strode up to her, holding out his hand.

"You better come with us," his tone brooked no argument. She hesitated, then placed her palm slowly on his. He was stronger than he looked, bringing her to her feet with no visible effort.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"We'll let our leader explain that," the brunette told her.

"Leader?" she thought a moment. "You don't mean Justin, do you?"

They stared at her like she'd just grown a second head.

"How the hell did you know?" demanded the blonde. She shook her head.

"I don't know. I just remember something about someone named Justin."

* * *

"What happened to you?"

They'd been walking for almost an hour. The blonde, who'd she learned was named Tristan, was in front of her, his sword drawn. She shook her head.

"I don't know," she began. "All I remember is waking up a day or two ago in the grass by that stream. I was just going to stay in the stump until I felt rested again, but then you found me."

"Do you recall anything that happened before you came here?"

The brunette walked behind her, gazing at the trees.

"No," she looked at her feet. "I just have flashes of things going through my head most of the time. I'm not even sure if they're real or not."

"Sounds like that dip in the stream gave you amnesia," said Tristan.

"Amnesia?" she'd never heard the word. "What's that?"

"A partial or even complete loss of memory due to trauma. It can happen because of abuse or an injury, also if the person saw or heard something they otherwise couldn't cope with."

"So, it's a coping mechanism?"

He shrugged.

"Sometimes."

"So, where are you taking me?"

Tristan stopped, pulling aside several branches awash with leaves. The space revealed a high cliff bathed in sunlight, turning the dull rock to a brilliant gold. Mist from a nearby waterfall flooded the air, lending a mystic beauty to the lush space. A mixed forest split the blue sky to their right, a bright lake shimmering to their left. She gasped in awe.

"W-Where are we?"

"Welcome to Thorn Valley," said Tristan. "Our home."

* * *

She swallowed, staring at the intricately carved door. The brunette had long since left, saying he had duties to return to. Tristan had then brought her to his sister, a beautiful young woman named Isabella, who had taken an instant liking to her. Isabella, or Isa, as she liked to be called, had taken her to the females' bathing area, where she had been stripped down and her old dress discarded. She couldn't remember when she'd ever felt so pampered. Isabella had given her scented soap to clean herself with, then had taken on the lengthy task of washing her hair for her. She'd commented on how soft it was, then had dried and brushed it until it shone.

She recalled asking why Isabella had done that for her, after the girl had given her the most beautiful dress she'd ever seen. The woman had simply told her it was to impress their leader, who wouldn't allow a stranger to stay unless he trusted them. She'd then gone on to say how many girls were in love with him, how she had been one of them until she'd met Conrad, the brunette that had escorted her new friend to the valley.

"Justin's so many things," Isa had told her. "Funny, brave, good-looking, but all he thinks about is his job. He hasn't made any room in his life for a girl or a family, and Conrad has."

Isabella and Conrad were engaged to be married, and she found herself wondering if she could ever come to care about someone.

"Are you alright?"

"Hm, what?" she shook her head, realizing Tristan was staring at her. "Oh, yes, I'm alright."

"You sure?"

"Of course," she smiled. "I'm just feeling a little...overwhelmed."

He chuckled.

"You'll feel like that for a while," he told her. "But I just came to say our leader will see you now."

He motioned to the door, which hung slightly open. She nodded, taking a slow step forward.

"I'll be back later," he said to her. "He should let you stay, but you're welcome to stay at the guard post if he doesn't."

"Thank you, Tristan."

He turned, vanishing down the hall. When he was gone, she looked back at the door, feeling her heart race in her chest. They'd assured her their leader was a good guy, but that didn't stop the fear from settling in her stomach. She gulped, placing her hand on the wood and pushing it open.

"E-Excuse me."

She looked up, hearing a soft gasp.

"It can't be..."

* * *

_Sorry it took me so long. My mom got me a "new" laptop from Walmart a while back and I quickly figured out I couldn't connect to the internet with it. Also, I just got back from visiting family in upstate New York, where I had virtually no access to a computer at all. I'm on summer vacation now, meaning I should be able to post chapters more quickly, though I'm preoccupied with my original novels. Anyway, sorry for the delay and I hope you all enjoy this new chapter!_


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